Apparatus for spotting yarn in the mass



June 27, 1933. w. N. GERE 1,915,779 APPARATUS FOR SPOTTING YARN IN THE MASS I Filed Feb. 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR June 27, 1933. w. N. GERE v APPARATUE FOR SPOTTING YARN IN THE MASS 2 Sheets-Sheet -,2

INVENT'OR Filed Feb. 8. 1929 BY g;

ATTORNE v Patented June 27, 1933- WITH-D "ST wimp menus, on LIVERPOOL, NEW yonxyAssreivoa'ro nomr'sn TEXTILE nnvron s,

mego-i'w Ermine, NEW yo'nma-c'onroniirion or NEW YORK v .APPARATUSEOIQSIOTTING YARN IN THE MAss This invention relates to apparatus for spotting yarn in the mass, and aims to provide means for coloring various different, and idiflferently' distributed,uportions of a wound mass of yarn so as to provide for dif ferent desired effects in the fabricknitted from the spotted yarn. j In a'type :of yarn spotting machine now in use, a coneor other wound mass of yarn .isfsupported on a .ro'tatingsuction core into whichfair is drawn through-the mass, while the dye is applied to the exterior of the mass through one ormore nozzles and is drawn inwardly through the mass to its core by the it suction In order that desired portions of the mass may be dyed evenly all the way into the core onsuch machines, it is necessary that the application of the dye tothe surface of the core be continued during several rotationsof the mass. It follows that the only portions'ofthe mass which can be colored on sucha machine; are-complete bands or zones extending all the way around the mass of yarn. Thisis a serious limitation on the effects which can be produced in fabric -knitted from the spotted yarn. Y My invention does away with this limitation and makes it possible to color sectors of amass of yarn extending only part way around the mass. When applied to a yarn spotting machine of the type referred to, my invention may be carried out bycontrolling the supply'of dye tothe nozzle by means of awvalve, which is synchronized with the-roe tation of the mass of yarn so that it opens and closes at the same predetermined point of each revolution of the mass. A further feature of the invention consists in providing a plurality of. nozzles and synchronized valves soarranged that dye is supplied tothenozzles, alternately during each revolution of the mass. a.

In order to provide for further variety in selecting the portions of the mass to be dyed, my invention includes a plurality of nozzles arranged along'the whole length of the mass, and permits the selective use'of said nozzles by plugging those not required at any particular time. With such nozzles, I associate 6 a common valve which maybe used without utor and valve taken on the line 33 of Slow interior-to its outer surface along sub- Application filed February 8, 1929. Serial No. 338,386,

alteration with any particular ones of the nozzles which are selected for use at a given time.' 3 J In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will describe in detail a specific embodiment appliedas an improvement on a known type of suctionyarn spotting machine. -In this description, I shall refer to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an end elevation, partly in ac .section, of operative parts of a known form of suction yarn-spotting machine with my invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged viewof the distributor and'valve of the machine shown in Fig. 1, 5

showing these parts in longitudinal section and adjacent parts of the'm achine in elevae tion; and v a F'ig. 3 is a transverse section of the distrib- Fig. 2. a p 1 4 The yarn spotting machine shown inFig. 1 is designed to "spot yarn mass a preferably wound in the form of a truncated coneon a conical perforated core; I). The machine provides a conical rotary hollow mandrel. c on which-such a core maybe supported.

The mandrel 'difi'ersfrom those of the ordi-.

nary machines of this character only inthat it is provided with passages 10 from its hol'- stantially its whole length. .It is mounted on one end of ahollow shaft d'which is rotated from a motor shaft 6 through a worm gear connection The rear end of the hollow shaft is connected by a valve-controlled passage 9 with a vacuum tank h in which sub-atmospheric pressure is maintained "by a suction pump not shownin the drawings; The machine thus provides for. rotatinga cone of yarn and applying suction to its inner surface.

The machine is also provided with asdye reservoir connected by a valve-controlled conduit 12 with an auxiliary reservoir or measuring cup.- It has heretofore been customaryg'to provide a direct connection be tween the measuring cup and a nozzle'directed towards the cone of yarn a, so that dye is continuouslypoured' onparts ofthe 100 a valve synchronized with the rotation of the cone of yarn a. a

The distributor 14 consists of a hollow cylinder 16 provlded on its upper surface w1th an inlet nipple 18 which is secured on a pipe 2O communicating with the bottom of the 1 measuring cup 70 and holds the distributor in each passage-as desired.

in fixed position with its axis parallel to the mandrel 0 and directly above the mandrel.

A vertical flange 22 depends from the lower side of the cylinder 16. This flange 22 has an inclined lower edge 24 which is approximately parallel to the upper surface of a cone of yarn a mounted on the mandrel 0. A considerable number of regularly spaced discharge passages arranged in four groups 26, 28, 30, 32 extend vertically through this flange and communicate with the bore of the cylindrical portion 16 of the distributor. These discharge passages have enlarged tapered portions at their lower ends, so that either a plug or a drip pipe may be inserted As illustrated, drip pipes or nozzles 26?), 28b, 30b and 32?) are inserted each in one of the passages 26, 28, 30 and 32 respectively, the remaining passages in each group 26, 28, 30 and 32 being closed by plugs 34, 34. From the shapeof the depending flange 22 already described it follows that drip pipes inserted in any of the discharge passages are all located at the same distance from the upper surface of a cone of yarn on the mandrel 0, so that the dye dripping from them will wet portions of the outer surface of the cone of the same area. The bores of the nozzles 26?) to 321) are desirably of progressively increasing diameters, so that the nozzle of larger bore delivers onto the larger end of the yarn mass in order that the'dye may penetrate to the core at about the same time throughout the length of the cone. Within the bore of the distributor 14 is a rotary valve member 38 which consists essentially of a hollow cylinder having ports 40, 42, 44, 46 which communicate with different groups of the discharge passages 26, 28, 30 and 32 during the rotation of the valve member. In the particular form illustrated, these ports are provided by flats 41, 41 on the outer surface of the valve member 38, each of which is in communication with the interior of the valve member through a radial hole 43. In the form illustrated in Fig. 2, the valve member 38 is pro vided with four pairs of such ports along its length. The two ports of each pair are diametrically opposite each other, while the ports of adjacent pairs are offset at an angle of 90. Thus in the position of the valve member 38 shown in Fig. 2, one of the pair of ports 40 is in communication with the group of discharge passages 26, the next pair of ports 42 are closed by the inner surface of the distributor, one of the next .pair

of ports 44 is in communication with the 7 third group of discharge nozzles 30, and the last pair of ports 46 is closed. be noted that the upper port of one of the two pairs 42 and 44 is always in communication with the intake nipple 18, so that a free passage for the dye is always provided It should between the nipple 18 and the discharge passages which register with any one of the ports. y

However, one of each pair of ports 40, 42, 44 and 46 may be omitted, if desired, care being taken to arrange apertures. 43 so that the interior of the rotary valve is always in communication with the bore in nipple 18.

I The valve member 38 is fixed on one end of a shaft 48- journalled in the frame of the machine at 50 and driven from the mandrel shaft (Z by a chain 52 passing over two sprockso on. The dye is thus applied to the outer surface of the yarn mass 0' in four broken bands, and is sucked directly inwardfrom the areas to which it is applied to the core of the cone by the suction which is applied within the mandrel c. of the cone of yarn. a, each nozzle applies dye to the same areas as those to which it has applied dye during the previous revolution,

so that the operation may be continued for a sufficient length of time to draw the dye completely into the core 6 without dropping dye on any portions, of the surface of the yarn a other than those to which-dye was applied during the first revolution of the yarn. This result is attained by synchronizing the valve member 38 with the revolution ofthe cone a, so that each valve port 40, 42, 44 or 46 is open during the same portion of each successive'revolution of the cone. Such synchronization, of course, does not require that the valve member make one revolution for each revolution of the mandrel, as in the form shown. If, for instance, one of each pair of ports 40, 42, 44 and 46 is" omitted and the valve makes one revolution to one of On each revolution thecone, each nozzle would make only one 7 spot on the cone, but if the valve should make two turns to one of the cone, each nozzle would make two spots on the cone as-in the arrangement -illustrated,iwhereas three turns "of the'valveto one of the cone would'produce three spots per nozzle on the cone and so on. The axial length of the spot is controlled by the size of the nozzlel I t It is apparent that by re-arranging the p0,

sition ofthe plu'gsa'nd dri'p' ipes in each of the groups 2 6, 28, and 32 of discharge pasgroups, a great variety'of. difierent partsof' the cone may be'dyed without in anyway changing the valve structures Furthermore,

it is apparent that the-invention permitsstill greater, variety in the positioning of dyed portions since it is by no means limited-to using a valvewhose ports areopen'during just 90 ofthe-revolution o'f-the-co-n'e, "but may be carried out by applying "dye to any are of the cone less than-a complete circle. It results from the operations heretofore described that the dyed portions of a given mass of yarn are "spacedapartnot only at the surface of the mass, but throughoutits extent, "and also that a given dyedportion of a mass 0'1" yarn extends only fraction of the extent of the mass in any direction:

along the mass.

WhatIclaim isg' w 15 Apparatus for spot-dyeing a mass of yarn, comprising a rotary support for the mass of yarn,a nozzle for applying dye to the surface of themass, and valve means controlling the flow of dye through the nozzle and synchronized with the rotation of the mass.

2. Apparatus for spot-dyeing a mass .of yarn, comprising a rotary support for the mass of yarn, a nozzle for applying dye to the surface of the mass, valve means controlling the flow of dye through the nozzle and synohronized with the rotation of the mass, said rotary support being hollow, and means for passing gas through the mass of yarn toward said hollow support.

3. Apparatus for spot-dyeing a mass of yarn, comprising a rotary support for the mass of yarn, a nozzle for applying dye to the surface of the mass, and valve means controlling the flow of dye through the nozzle and synchronized with the rotation of the mass, said nozzle means and valve means being arranged to supply dye to the surface of the mass alternately at points spaced 4. Apparatus for spot-dyeing a mass of yarn, comprising a rotary support for the mass of yarn, a nozzle for applying dye to the surface of the mass, and a rotary Valve controlling the'flow of dye through the nozzle and synchronized with the rotation of the mass. I v v .5. Apparatus for spot-dyeing a mass of yarn, comprising a rotary support for the nozzles alternately.

mas sof yarn, a plurality of nozzles rom plying'dyeto the surface of'the mass and arranged above said support, a reservoir for dye, connections supplyin'g" dye to "said nozzles from said reservo r, and rotary valves in sald'connections'driven from said support.

(SQApp'aratus 'for spot-dyeing a mass of yarn, comprising a rotary'support forthe mass of yarn,a plurality of nozzles for applying dye to the surface of the mass and arranged abovesaid'support, a reservoirfor dye,-connections" supplying dye to said nozzles from said reservoir; rotary valves in said connections driven from said support, and saidrotary valves supplying the 7. Apparatus for spotdyeing a mass of yarn, comprising a rotary support for the mass of yarn, nozzles for applying dye to the surface of'the mass, valve means controlling the flow of dye through the nozzles,-'said rotarysupp'ort being hollow,'and means for passinggas'from the surface of the mass of yarn toward said hollow support, said nozzles andsaid valve means being, arranged to sup ply the dye alternately at points'spacjed alongthemasspxf I. vi I I 8*. Apparatusfor spot-dyeing :a'mass'of yarn, comprising a rotary support for the mass of yarn, a plurality ofnozzles arranged in line above the mass ofyarn for applying dye to the surface of the mass, and a rotating valve supplying and cutting ofi dye to said nozzles alternately. l 1

9. Apparatus for spot-dyeing a mass .of yarn, comprising a support for the mass of yarn, a plurality of nozzles spaced above the mass of yarn for applying dye thereto, a source of dye for said nozzles, and a hollow rotary valve intermediate said nozzles and said source of dye and arranged to connect said nozzles to said source alternately.

10. Apparatusfor spot-dyeing a mass of yarn, comprising a support for the mass of yarn, a plurality of nozzles above and spaced along the'mass of yarn for applying dye thereto, a source of dye for said nozzles, and

a hollow rotary valve, structure intermediate said nozzles and said source of dye and arranged to connect said nozzles to, said source alternately, said valve structure comprising a casing having a bore therein and having "passages connecting said bore with said nozzles, a hollow valve member mounted and turnlng in said bore to connect said passages and to dlsconnect them from sald bore, said hollow valve member having its outer face flattened to form ports between itself and said casing and having apertures connecting its interior with said ports, the outer face of said member intermediate said ports acting to close said passagesat given intervals during the rotation of the valve member.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10 said valve sections controlling a plurality,

of passages, said passages being obstructed except one for each valve section. i 13. A dye-applying mechanism, comprising a valve casing having aligned discharge passages and a valve member mounted to turn said casing member and easing being so constructed and arranged that said -member opens some o-fsaid passages and closes others When in one position and closes thepassages first opened and opens those first closed When turned (through a material angle from said position.

14. Apparatus for spot-dyeing yarn including means adapted to discharge liquid on a mass of yarn, and a rotary valve controlling the flow of dye to said means and having a flattened portion acting as a port.

" 15. ,Apparatus for spot-dyeing yarn including. means adapted to "discharge dye on a mass of yarn, and a rotary valve con-trolling the flow of dye :to said means and having a plurality of flattened portions arranged longitudinally of the valve and acting as ports,

:said valve having-one flattened portiondisplaced :angula-rly with respect to the one ad.- jacent thereto. I a

'16. A: dye-applying mechanism, compris ing a valve casing having aligned discharge passages and avalve member mounted to turn in said casing, said member acting to open said passages, the valve member intermediate :said flattened portions acting to close said passages.

a 17. Apparatus yarn, having a rotary support for a yarn mass, discharge passages arranged to discharge on a mass of yarn on said support, and valve means controlling the a-flovv of dye through said ports, said means opening a given discharge passage at a given point in successive revolutions of said yarn support, and maintaining the passage open for less than a complete revolution ofthe support.

I 18. Apparatus for spot-dyeinga mass of yar n oo1nprising means for rotating the yarn mass, means operated in synchronism With the revolution of the mass to apply dye to a sector of the outer surface-of the mass extending partway around the'mass, and means for causing-thedye so applied to penetrate into the mass to color the portion of the mass between the area .of application and the core of the mass.

V In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 1'

WARD N. GERE.

. 315 for spot-dyeing a mass of I 

